Devotional 3-30-10

Jesus answered, “The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness wil not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Believe in the light, then, while you have it, so that you will be the people of the light.” [John 12: 35-36]

What if every year’s spring equinox brought a sudden change in weather and temperature? We would know on exactly which day to pack away heavy clothes and break out the short sleeves. In the last days of winter, we would be jittery with childlike anticipation. Possibly because there is no way to predict with complete certainty our last day with that winter coat, we often trudge through as pessimists. Whether or not diagnosed, many of us have a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder. With the lack of sunlight, our moods and energy levels deteriorate.

The seemingly most Godly people in my life have faces that I am always happy to see. Even when I know they are carrying heavy emotional burdens, they continue to endure with a faith-filled glow about them. They truly are people of the light. Especially around Easter, sermons encourage us to live every day as though Jesus Christ will arrive tomorrow. If we knew that were the case, might our expectant faces be nearly luminescent?

We might think of the second coming as that first bright and warm day of spring. Without a tangible date, though, we easily fall into a spiritual sort of Seasonal Affective Disorder. From today’s scripture, “The one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going” reminds us that we often forget about our true North. Not only do we take for granted all of the beauty of winter, but we also disregard the fact that spring is truly on its way. My prayer for us all is that we savor every moment of the now while anxiously awaiting what is to come. As we expect tomorrow’s sky to be the brightest ever seen, I hope that our faces shine with Christ’s light.

Natalie Wray